Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1890 — PARTIALLY EXPIATED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PARTIALLY EXPIATED.

THREE OF THE ASSASSINS LANDED IN JOLIET. Kunze Granted a New Trial and Life Sentences Passed on the Others—What the Prisoners Had to Say for Themselves— Behind Penitentiary Wails. Chicago dispatch: Three "of the assassins of Dr. P. 11. Cronin are in the penitentiary at Jolitjt. Daniel Coughlin, Patrick O'Sullivan, and Martin Burke were hurried from the jail to the 9 o'clock train on the Chicago & Alton road Tuesday evening, and by 11 o’clock they had entered upon a life term of penal service to the State. The great trial was brought to an end Tuesday when Judge McConnell formally refused Coughlin. O’Sullivan and Burke a new trial, and sentenced them, in accordance with the finding of the jury that tried them, to life imprisonment at hard labor. John Kunze, whom the jury let off with a sentence of three years, was granted a new trial, but State's Attorney Longenecker inti-

mated before leaving the court room that the ‘little Dutchman,” as he has come to be known, would shortly be restored to his liberty. When Judge McConnell reached the others he asked Coughlin if he had anything to say why sentence should not be passed on him. The big ex-detective was on his feet in a moment. He directed his glittering little eyes straight at the court and said in a firm voice: “Yer honor, I’m innocent. This crime was committed by persons I don’t know. I was convicted by perjury.” With a nervous bow to the court to indicate that he had finished he reached across the prisoners' row. seized John Kunze’s hand, and wrung it heartily. Tears of gratitude and joy sprang into the little fellow’s eyes, and it was only after an effort that he was able to avoid crying out as he did the day the jury rendered its verdict. O’Sullivan, looking grim and deter-

mined, was on his feet before Coughlin sank back in his chair. “I, too, your honor, am innocent,” he said, “and I feel that some day tho world will know it. I have been convicted by perjured

Patrick o’suLLiVANtestimony. I am not here to ask for mercy. All I ask for is justice. If lam innocent of this crime, I have not had justice; but if I am guilty, the State has not had justice.” . Martin Burke, with his long, heavy face glowing, his little eyes snapping, and his jaws working like an automatic machine, followed O’Sullivan. “I’m innocent, too,” he said. “In England I always knew they put perjured witnesses on the stand, but I never knew they did it in America.” When he said this Martin sat down, looking triumphant and happy. He seemed to feel that he had unloaded a great mental burden. A minute later all three were on their feet, listening to the solemn words of the court that consigned them to a living death in the penitentiary. When they sat down again they were all pale and trembling. The ordeal was too much even for their superb nerve. Old man Coughlin, the sturdy father of the chief conspirator, was sitting on one of the front benches, and in spite of himself tears came into his eyes as he saw his son marched back to the jail for the last time. Kunze was brought back into court and Lawyer Donahue made an effort to have him released on bail. Forrest’ offered to sign a bond for SI,OOO, but Judge McConnell thought that $5,000 would not be too much. This, Forrest "said, was too much for him, so Kunze had to go back to confinement, buoyed by Judge Longenecker’s vague promise thal he may be liberated in a week. About 8:30 the three men under sentence were brought from their cells in the county jail and heavily ironed. Carriages were in waiting and guarded by Sheriff Matson and an armed posse of deputies and police they were taken to the 9 o’clock Alton train. Joliet (Ill.) dispatch: When the party arrived at the penitentiary at 10:35 none but the captain of the night watch greeted the delegation which reached the prison headed by Sheriff Matson. At the prison doors that officer, in a very formal and business-like way, turned the trio of Clan-na-Gael assassins over to W’arden Berggren and the board-of commissioners, who are in session. There was no ceremony whatever. Warden Berggren at once turned the culprits over to Night Captain Norton, who deprived them of their valuables in the usual way and hustled them out of the big iron door down to the court solitary, where fhey were left for the night without change of clothes. The prisoners were left to themselves to indulge in silent thought upon their strange situation and to speculate upon the coming morrow, when the barbers, the bath, and the stripes awaited them, with the no less important concomitant of a scientific sizing up according to the forms of the I Bertillop system of identification of ! crimin&U.

DANIEL COUGHLIN.